Mobile lift



E. A. WAGN ER April 4, 1 .950

MOBILE LIFT 4 Sheets-Sheet l Fi.|.eci June 21, 1947 INVENTOR. [/mer ,4. 'Wagner BY r April 4,. 1950 E. A. WAGNER ,50

' MOBILE LIFT Filed Jun e 21, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR- [/mer f]. Way/Yen K a. KMVM.

14 Hornefy p 1950 E. A. WAGNER 2,503,180

MOBILE LIFT Filed June 21, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 4, 1950 Filed Jgpe 21, 1947 E. A. WAGNER MOBILE LIFT 4 SheetsSheet 4 INVENTOR. Elmer A- Wagner BY Patented Apr. 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IMOBILE Elmer A. Wagner, Portland, Oreg. Application June 21, 1947',Serial N'0. 1565224 I -8 Claims.

My present intention relates to mobile lifts, .or

as they are 'sometiinesxcalled, autilitytrucks. The principal object of the present invention is to provide an automotive lift of extrem'e'lyshiall size havin a long zl'i fti ng range and large capa'city.

The purpose of theiprincipal object of. the :inven- 'tion is to provide means lio'r transporting heavy articles such as paclragedniachinery and the "like short distances in manufacturing establishments, on a truck 'of such "dimensions that it will pass through normalfa'c'tory doorsi'an'd thedoors :o'f'box .cars or vans so that extra handling ofmateria'ls and goods "is eliminated.

A further object of the present-invention is to provide a utility truck or lift truck of small dimensions which possesses a high degree of stability so that heavy loads rnay be lifted'to greater height than previously permitted by the use or Such trucks.

A further object of the present invention is "to provide a lift of the mobile type possessing strengthdurability and a capacity for conveying heavy loads, which isiiorme'd of relative'lyisimple and easily fabricated parts.

A further objiectof'the'presentinvention'is'to provide a utility-truck 'i-having thereon a. material handling devicewhich may be easily and rapidly replaced by a material handling 'deviceof another typ for example;--ailift:fork*maybe utilized part of the time, and'asco'op or platforrnat other times, interchangeability from x0118 to the other being readily permit-ted. 1

The foregoing and otherobjectsandadvantages of the present invention will-ibe :m'orereadily ap- :parent from inspection :01? the accompanying drawings taken inconnect-ion with the following specification wherein like numerals refer to like .parts throughout.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side eleivationof the presentinvention with thetlift in its .-fu1l .lowered position;

2 is a :bottom viewiof the present invention;

'3 is a vtront view Dix-the present invention with the lift in :l owe'red eps ition; v

Fig. 4 is :a partial :sectional view taken substantially ialong line 4--4 Lbf Fig. 3;;

Fig. is :a rear view act the present invention with a portion ofthe rear ivvall broken away;

Fig. 6 is aside View :of the present invention with the lift fully extended;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken substantially along line "'l'! of :Fig. 16;;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken substantially along line -8-8 of Fig. 6,;

Fig. 9 is a tront elevation :of the invention with the lift fully extended;

.Fig. 10 is a 'sectionitaken substantially along line l0l"0 of'Fig.;-9;;

Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 1 lll ofafilig. 6;; and

.Fig. 12 is a schematic viewtaken substantially along line 12-1-2 :of Fig; :6.

The present i'nvent-ion*-is illustrated in a preferred form and comprisesathree-wheeled vehicle in such preferred form. The vehicle comprises a'body [-0 Tor-med by bendinga sheet of iboiler plate and connecting the arms of the bent plate by suitable cross 1braces,:such as the partition ll -1(=Fig. 2). "The forwardly extending portions of the outer plate are recessed at 2 to provide access to forward wheels ll 3,-1an-d thercur'yed rear portion of the plate Hi isz reoessed .at M :to provide clearance for a central steering wheel .15. A pair of plates 1-6 extend forward from .the partition ll parallel to the arms (of the plate 1.9 and are joined at their lower edges by a floor plate 1 1 which extends beyond the- .plates 1.6 and .is'attached to the slower edges of intermediate .plates {l8 .(Fig. 7-). The upperzedges of the plate I0 and the .plates J6 and 18 extend downwardly from the partition :1 .l .andare joined together by top plates 1-9. Wheel wells .for the .forward wheels J3 are provided by positioning fenders 20 between the plates L8 and .the .outer plate ill. Rigid support for the wheels..l.3.is.providedlbylfasteningj Qurnals :21 in aligned -.openings in the plates L6 and 1.8 :(Fig. 7-). .Thespace proyidedbetween the partition l-l,.plates L6 vandifloor plate I] provides a well forthe reception of .the lift mechanism when in collapsed position as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

The .rear wheel .15 is vmountedupon a member 2.5 .fastened ,to the lower end .of a tiller post 26 (Fig. 5) mounted in journals 2'! and 2t fastened .to an intermediatehorizontal plate 29 and the upper deck .plate 30 respectively. .The .post 26 supports a pair ofsprocketjgears about which are wrapped in reverse direction a pair of sprocket chains 31 having their inner .endsattached to the sprocket :gears and their outer ends .fastened to 'ing 53 (Figs. 1 and 12).

the ends of a movable member 32. The member 32 is adapted to be moved longitudinally by a hydraulic motor including a cylinder 33 mounted upon a cross strut 34. A suitable piston guided within cylinder 33 is fastened to the member 32 so that the cylinder 33 may be moved in opposite directions by fluid admitted to the opposite faces of the piston within cylinder 33 through a supply tube 35 and valve 35. The valve 36 is shifted to direct the flow of fluid therethrough by means of a pair of cables 31 extending over suitable guide pulleys from a steering post 38 having a steering wheel 39 thereon. Rotation of the steering wheel therefore causes movement of the Wheel 15 in one or the other direction so that the vehicle may be guided from place to place. A large clearance is provided for the steering wheel l so that the Vehicle may be turned through a very short radius, thus being made capable of negotiating the side door of a box car and moving towards either end of the box car after entering the box car. Details of the hydraulic steering piston and cylinder are not herein fully disclosed as there are many such devices available for the purpose.

The steering wheel post is mounted upon the upper edge of the partition II which defines the forward wall of a machinery compartment and the rear wall of the lift containing well. A suita- 'ble internal combustion engine 40 is mounted in the machinery compartment, the cylinders thereof occupying the space at the right side of the center line of the vehicle, and the gear shift transmission extending at a lower level toward the left side of the machine beneath the floor of a drivers cab within which the steering wheel 39 is mounted (Figs. 2, 4 and 6). The conventional gear shift lever 4| extends upward beneath the steering wheel as seen in Figs. 6 and 12. Room is provided above the transmission 'housing and to the rear of the gear shift lever for a drivers seat 42 including a back rest 43. The partition II is recessed forwardly of the drivers seat to provide room for the clutch pedal 44, accelerator 45 and brake pedal 43. The space above the foot pedal compartment within the left fender provides room for a gasoline tank 41 which may be filled through an opening 48 (Fig. 3). The drivers compartment is provided with an instrument panel 50 at the right of the drivers seat upon which are mounted the usual control instruments for an automotive engine as indicated in Fig. 12.

The right side wall of the vehicle is provided with a louver 5| adjacent which is mounted a radiator 52 which may be filled through an open- A propeller fan or the like may be provided adjacent the radiator and driven by the automotive engine (not herein shown).

The engine is provided with a multiple sheave pulley on the forwardly extending shaft thereof about which are placed a plurality of belts 55 (Figs. 2, 4 and 5) passing around a pulley 56 mounted on a shaft journaled in a support 51, the

opposite end of which drives a shaft extension v58 having universal joint connections at each end, the far end connection being to the shaft of fluid pump mounted in a housing 60. An extra sheave on pulley 5S drives a belt 5| which passes about a pulley on the shaft of a smaller fluid pump-6'2. The pump 62 is connected to the hydraulic steering mechanism through the flexible tube 35. The larger pump within housing 60 is adapted to drive the hydraulic lift. A control lever 66 (Figs. '7 and 12) operates a suitable valve (not herein detailed) to connect the outlet side of the pump in housing 60 to the interior of a telescoping hydraulic jack comprising a plurality of sections 61, the largest and outermost of which is mounted upon the floor board l1 adjacent the front edge of the vehicle slightly forwardly of the axis line of the front wheels. Shifting the control lever to another position may trap the fluid admitted into the telescoping lift so as to maintain the lift at any elevation desired, and further shifting to a draining position permits the lowering of the lift at any desired speed. When the control lever is shifted to draining position the output from the pump and the liquid flowing from the interior of the lift are returned to a tank mounted above the right front wheel l3 which may be filled through a filling opening 68 (Fig. 3). Any type of fluid control valve, of which there are many known to the art, may be utilized to effect control of the hydraulic lift. The connection of the pump in housing 30 to the control valve and to the lift cylinder are not herein illustrated as such details may assume many different forms,

In order to propel the vehicle the left end of the engine shaft beneath the drivers seat is provided with a sprocket gear 10 about which passes a chain H to a sprocket gear 12 on the end of a shaft 13 leading to a gear box 14 (Figs. 2 and 4). From the gear box a shaft 15 extends into a differential gear housing 16 from which extend lateral axle housings 11. Suitable axles mounted in the housings Tl drive a pair of forwardly extending sprocket chains 18 which pass about sprocket ears on the shafts of the forward wheels l3. Suitable brake drum assemblies 19 are preferably provided and controlled through the usual connections with the brake pedal 46 and a brake pedal lock in the drivers compartment.

The drivers compartment is preferably enclosed by a small cab 8| having a windshield. 82, side windows 83, or side windows 84 and rear top Window 85 so that the driver may have unobstructed view in all directions. The left side of the cab is preferably provided with a door 36 in which the left side window 83 is mounted, the door being of sufficient size to permit access by the driver.

The lift preferably comprises a hood 9!) having vside walls including stiffener channels 9 l, the side walls being spaced so as to permit reception of the hood between the panels l6 of the vehicle frame. The forward edge of the hood is turned downward and braced by downwardly extending portions of the side walls. The lower tips of the side walls provide means to journal a pivot rod 92 upon which may be mounted a lift fork comprising forwardly extending arms 93 and vertical arms 94. Brackets 95 are mounted on the upper ends of the vertical arms 94 and provide means pivotally to connect thereto the forward extremities of tilt control arms 96 extending back into the hood adjacent the side walls thereof. The arms 96 (Fig. 11) are plvotally connected at their rear ends to a cross head 9! fastened to the rear end. of a piston rod 98 extending from a piston within a hydraulic cylinder 99 mounted beneath the top portion of the hood. A tube I leads to a second fluid control lever l0! within the drivers cab by means of which the outlet side of the pump in housing 60 may be connected to the interior of the cylinder 99 so as to drive the cross head rearwardly and hold the lift arms 93 in horizontal position. Movement of the control lever ascaiao .101 to a :draining position perm-its tilting of the '.-lift arms. Details of the control valve :and'gpiping connections are not ,herei-n illustrated :as -.-they .may be assembledbyzanyone skilled in the art.

:It-is apparent that thel-ift arms may be replaced .by any other typeof material handling device such as a platform or scoop.

-tremities of theside wall plates 45 upon studs 01, and the forward extremities of the uppermost ,pair .of forwardly extending arms are pivoted to thesside walls ofthehooddo upon-studs 108. The opposed pairs of arms are 'suitably connected by "cros members M19. The lower ends of the lowermost pairof rearward-1y extending arms lflliare connected by a transverse tube H providing journals for aipair of guide wheels 1 H rolling upon the floor plate 11 adjacent the side plates Ifiand confinedbyrguide tracks 2 (Fig. 7-). The uppermost pair of rearwardly extending arm 1.06 are connected by a cross tube I I5 mounting a pair of wheels -I I6 guided in horizontal channels on the inner surface of theside walls of the hood 90 (Fig. 8). The tube I00 is linked to suitable crossmembers of the lazy tong assembly by connectors I which prevent the tube from becoming caught or pinched. By providing the rolling Wheels at the rear points of contact of the lazy The hood is alsoflpermitted tomove vertically upward while being braced against swaying or pivoting about the telescoping pistons.

.11; will .be apparentfrom inspection of the .draw- 'ings that the moment arm of the load ,is :relatively short compared to the-moment arm of the vehicle including its engineandthe driver. "l he vehicle comprises heavy plates :formingithestructural members of the chassis which provide counter-balance for the load carried by the lift. Accurate and instantaneous manipulation of the load is provided in a compact mobile structure. and the loading of box cars, or the placing of heavy articles in small spaces may be easily accomplished by the use of the present invention. The drivers seat is so located that the driver has clear vision in all directions including overhead. When the lift is collapsed clear view is afforded between the plates I6 and over the hood 90, and the lift when extended provides an open framework through which the driver may look.

Having illustrated and described one embodiment which my invention may assume it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications in detail and arrangement thereof are permissible. All such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims are considered to be a part of my invention.

1'. claim: v 1. A mobile lift comprising a material handling device, an automotive wheeled vehicle upon which said material handling device is mounted, a telescoping piston construction mounted vertically upon the vehicle and supporting said material handling device, said telescoping construction being collapsible to extentxsuch that its mini-.- :mum height less than themaximum height of the vehicle and-being extensible to permit the lifting of loads toa considerable height above the vehicle, and .a lazy tong device surrounding and bracing said telescoping construction and havin its lower endmounted on .said vehicle and its upper end connected to said material handling device.

2. A mobile lift comprising a material handling device, a wheeled vehicle upon which said material .handlingdeviceis mounted, a vertically extending, .telescopi-n'g piston constructionmounted .at :the frontof the vehicle and supporting said material handling device, said telescoping constructionbeingcollapsible-to an extent such that its minimum height. is less than the height of standard doorsandrbeing extensible to permit the lifting-of loads to a considerable height above the "vehicle, and a ,pair of interconnected lazy tong assemblies having their lower ends mounted on the vehicle at the sides of said telescoping construction and their upper ends connected to said material handling device -f0rgtabili2ing said telescoping construction when extended.

3. A mobile lift comprising-a material handling device, a wheeled vehicle upon which said material handling device is mounted, a hydraulically operated, vertically extending, telescoping piston constructionsupported upon the vehicle and supporting :said material handling device, said telescoping construction x'being collapsible to an extent such thatits minim-um height is less than "themaximum .heig-h-t-of the vehicle and being extensible to permit the lifting-of loads to a considerable height :abovethe vehicle, and a pair of interconnected lazy tong assemblies mounted on said vehicle and supporting said material handling device, said lazy tong assemblies being at the sides of said telescoping construction and being interconnected in front of and behind said telescoping construction so as to provide a hollow column surrounding said telescoping construction for stabilizing said telescoping construction when extended.

4. A mobile sli-ft comprising a material handling device, a wheeled vehicleupon which said material handling device is mounted, a hydraulically operated, vertically extending, telescoping piston construction supported upon the vehicle and supporting said material handling device, said telescoping construction being collapsible to an extent such that its minimum height is less than the maximum height of the vehicle and being extensible to permit the lifting of loads to a considerable height above the vehicle, and a pair of interconnected lazy tong assemblies mounted on said vehicle and supporting said material handling device for stabilizing said telescoping construction when extended, said lazy tong assemblies being at the sides of said telescoping construction and being interconnected in front of and behind said telescoping construction so as to provide the uppermost and lowermost ends of certain of the lazy tong members being guided for horizontal movement upon the material handling device and the vehicle respectively in order to permit vertical movement of said material handling device.

5. An automotive lift comprising a body including forwardly extending, laterally spaced portions, a pair of wheels mounted on said portions, a transverse partition at the rear of said forwardly extending portions, a drivers cab situated to the rear of said transverse partition and including a driver's seat so located as to position the drivers head above and to the rear of one of said forwardly extending portions, and a collapsible lift mechanism receivable between said forwardly extending portion and being collapsible to such an extent that the driver may have clear View forwardly between said forwardly extending portions.

6. An automotive lift comprising a body including forwardly extending laterally spaced portions, a driver cab including a drivers seat so located as to position the drivers head above and to the rear of one of said forwardly extending portions, and a vertically extensible, collapsible lift mechanism receivable between said forwardly extending portions and being collapsible to such an extent that the driver may have clear view forwardly between said forwardly extending portions over the top of said mechanism, said mechanism comprising a hydraulic lift and lift bracing members forming an open structure when extended. 1

7. In an automotive lift, a vertically extensible, telescoping, hydraulic piston construction, a vehicle mounting said telescoping construction, a material handling device including a hood mounted on said telescoping construction, a lazy tong bracing construction connected to said vehicle and to said hood for bracing said telescoping piston construction when extended, said lazy tong construction being collapsible to a greater extent than said telescoping construction, and said hood having a small, upwardly extending housing thereon for receiving the upper ends of the individual pistons of said telescoping construction whereby to reduce obstruction of the driver vision by said material handling device when in lowered position.

8. A mobile lift comprising a vertically mova- 'ble hood, a wheeled vehicle supporting said hood,

a hydraulically operated, vertically extending, telescoping construction comprising a plurality of interfitting pistons mounted upon said vehicle and supporting said hood, a material handling device operatively mounted upon said hood, said piston construction being collapsible to an extent such that its minimum height is less than the maximum height of the vehicle and being extensible to lift said hood to a considerable height above the vehicle, a pair of lazy tong assemblies mounted on said vehicle for stabilizing said piston construction when extended, said lazy tong assemblies each comprising a lower pair of centrally pivoted lazy tong members and an upper pair of centrally pivoted lazy tong members, pivot means connecting the lowermost end of one of each lower pair of lazy tong members to said vehicle, guiding means on said vehicle for guiding the lowermost end of the other of each lower pair of lazy tong members horizontally toward and from said pivot means, second pivot means connecting the uppermost end of one of each upper pair of lazy tong members to said hood, second guiding means on said hood for guiding the uppermost end of the other of each upper pair of lazy tong member for horizontal movement toward and from said second pivot means, and horizontal members interconnecting the opposite joints of said lazy tong assemblies, said first and second pivot means being vertically aligned and said telescoping piston construction being mounted midway between and slightly to the rear of said first pivot means.

ELMER A. WAGNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 80,445 Brand July 28, 1868 435,738 Downey Sept. 2, 1890 1,274,473 Waller Aug. 6, 1918 1,409,772 Pope Mar. 14, 1922 1,411,875 Schroeder Apr. 4, 1922 1,442,383 Collins Jan. 16, 1923 1,705,145 Thrift Mar. 12, 1929 1,954,345 Burrows Apr. 10, 1934 2,264,733 Abbe Dec. 2, 1941. 2,320,600 Howell June 1, 1943 2,375,104 Heitshu May 1, 1945 2,402,579 Ross June 25, 1946 

